23 Introductions + Book Tasting: Self-select a book to read for next Tuesday, 8/30. You will write a response explaining how your book does or does not fit the “Characteristics of the Best YA Literature,” as defined in the handout I’ll give you today. Read handout and introduction to Classics for Thursday.
25 Entrance card for readings. What is YA literature discussion, in groups and as a class. For Tuesday, finish your self-selected book. Then, based on discussion and reading, write a response and post it to Nicenet explaining how your chosen book does or does not fit the “Characteristics of the Best YA Literature.”
30 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Read “A Brief History of YA Literature” PDF for Thursday.
September
Historical Young Adult Literature
1 Entrance card for readings. How did YA literature evolve? What cultural changes affected its parameters? Brief book talks on historical YA literature: Malaeska, Ragged Dick, or Anne of Green Gables. Choose one of the books and read the first half of your novel for next Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet discussing how your work fits into the history of YA literature.
6 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Read the rest of your chosen novel for Thursday.
8 Entrance card for novel choice. How do these novels illustrate the early era of YA literature? Read The Outsiders or A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet in relation to how these works extend definitions of YA literature to include class and race issues and diverse authors.
13 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share you ideas with the rest of the class. Introduce Paper I prompt. Bring in ideas for Paper I on Thursday.
15 Entrance card for possible paper topics. Discuss paper I and model ways to approach it. Complete a draft of paper I for peer review and conferencing on Tuesday.
20 Paper I draft due for peer review and conferencing
22 Paper I Due. Book Tasting for group presentations: Contemporary and Multicultural Young Adult Literature. Discuss Group Presentations. Choose a group and work/works to explore. For Tuesday, write a response and post it to Nicenet responding to your group’s chosen text (s). (Ballenger Center, Library)
Contemporary Young Adult Literature, Phase I
27 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In your groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Discuss ways to approach your group presentations. Finish your book (s) for Thursday.
29 Entrance card for your group’s book. Finish your group literature circle work andprepare for presentations next week.
October
4 Group Presentations.
6 Group Presentations. Read the first half of either Forever or Homecoming for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet responding to your chosen text in relation to gender issues.
Gender and Young Adult Literature
11 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In your groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Finish your book for Thursday.
13 Entrance card for conclusion of your chosen book. What does your book tell us about femininity? About gender? Read Hatchet or Parrot in the Oven for Tuesday and write and post a response to Nicenet responding to your chosen text in relation to gender issues.
18 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In your groups, discuss your book and response. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. What does your book tell us about masculinity? About gender? Read the first third of Feed for Thursday.
Multicultural and Genre Fiction
20 Entrance Card for first impressions of Feed. How would you define the genre of this work? How might we define the genre in relation to this novel? Finish Feed for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet.
25 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss Feed and its context with help from Nicenet and our Wiki. Read the first third of Marcello in the Real World for Thursday.
27 Entrance Card for Marcello… beginning. How is this work multicultural? Think through the novel’s genre, as well.? Finish Marcello… for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet.
November
1 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss Marcello… and its context with help from Nicenet and our Wiki. Introduce graphic novels. Read Daisy Kutter: Tthe Last Train for Tuesday.
3 Entrance card for Daisy Kutter. Model reading of graphic novel panel(s) with help from document camera. Discuss the graphic novel and the included context. Choose either Persepolis or American Born Chinese and read the work for Tuesday and write a response and post it on Nicenet reading a series of panels from the work.
8 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss your graphic novel and responses in groups and then, by group, read a series of panels for the class with help from the document camera. Discuss relationship between graphic novels and film to prepare for Thursday’s screening. Note: No class during class time. Please attend the film screening to enjoy the introduction and respond to the film in relation to graphic novels and Marcello in the real World.
10 Martian Child Screening—5-7 p.m. For Tuesday, write a response to the film and post it to Nicenet.
15 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss Martian Child and film and young adult literature. Read selections from Am I Blue? For Thursday to begin preparing for subgenre paper and Wiki page.
17 Book tasting to explore anthologies, collections of Young Adult poetry and short fiction, YA nonfiction, and other subgenres of YA Lit. Read handouts/PDFs and choose your subgenre for your second paper and Wiki page for the Tuesday afterThanksgiving. Enjoy your break! (Ballenger Center, Library)
21-25 Thanksgiving Break—no school
29 Entrance card for your chosen subgenre. Discuss paper topic and Wiki possibilities. Read selections (a selection) from your subgenre for Thursday andwrite a response and post it to Nicenet.
December
1 Reading Response due to Nicenet. Discuss chosen subgenre and selection(s) in groups and as a class. Discuss paper and Wiki further. Complete a draft of your final paper and Wiki for Tuesday for peer review and conferences.
6 Paper II and Wiki Draft Due. Revise paper for Thursday. Complete Wiki.
8 Final Draft of Paper II due. Prepare for Final Exam! Share Paper topics and Wikis.
Fall 2011 English 4903, Young Adult Literature
Tentative Course Calendar (Subject to Change)
August
Introduction to Young Adult Literature
23 Introductions + Book Tasting: Self-select a book to read for next Tuesday, 8/30. You will write a response explaining how your book does or does not fit the “Characteristics of the Best YA Literature,” as defined in the handout I’ll give you today. Read handout and introduction to Classics for Thursday.
25 Entrance card for readings. What is YA literature discussion, in groups and as a class. For Tuesday, finish your self-selected book. Then, based on discussion and reading, write a response and post it to Nicenet explaining how your chosen book does or does not fit the “Characteristics of the Best YA Literature.”
30 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Read “A Brief History of YA Literature” PDF for Thursday.
September
Historical Young Adult Literature
1 Entrance card for readings. How did YA literature evolve? What cultural changes affected its parameters? Brief book talks on historical YA literature: Malaeska, Ragged Dick, or Anne of Green Gables. Choose one of the books and read the first half of your novel for next Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet discussing how your work fits into the history of YA literature.
6 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Read the rest of your chosen novel for Thursday.
8 Entrance card for novel choice. How do these novels illustrate the early era of YA literature? Read The Outsiders or A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet in relation to how these works extend definitions of YA literature to include class and race issues and diverse authors.
13 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share you ideas with the rest of the class. Introduce Paper I prompt. Bring in ideas for Paper I on Thursday.
15 Entrance card for possible paper topics. Discuss paper I and model ways to approach it. Complete a draft of paper I for peer review and conferencing on Tuesday.
20 Paper I draft due for peer review and conferencing
22 Paper I Due. Book Tasting for group presentations: Contemporary and Multicultural Young Adult Literature. Discuss Group Presentations. Choose a group and work/works to explore. For Tuesday, write a response and post it to Nicenet responding to your group’s chosen text (s). (Ballenger Center, Library)
Contemporary Young Adult Literature, Phase I
27 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In your groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Discuss ways to approach your group presentations. Finish your book (s) for Thursday.
29 Entrance card for your group’s book. Finish your group literature circle work andprepare for presentations next week.
October
4 Group Presentations.
6 Group Presentations. Read the first half of either Forever or Homecoming for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet responding to your chosen text in relation to gender issues.
Gender and Young Adult Literature
11 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In your groups, discuss your books and responses. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. Finish your book for Thursday.
13 Entrance card for conclusion of your chosen book. What does your book tell us about femininity? About gender? Read Hatchet or Parrot in the Oven for Tuesday and write and post a response to Nicenet responding to your chosen text in relation to gender issues.
18 Reading Response due on Nicenet. In your groups, discuss your book and response. Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the class. What does your book tell us about masculinity? About gender? Read the first third of Feed for Thursday.
Multicultural and Genre Fiction
20 Entrance Card for first impressions of Feed. How would you define the genre of this work? How might we define the genre in relation to this novel? Finish Feed for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet.
25 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss Feed and its context with help from Nicenet and our Wiki. Read the first third of Marcello in the Real World for Thursday.
27 Entrance Card for Marcello… beginning. How is this work multicultural? Think through the novel’s genre, as well.? Finish Marcello… for Tuesday and write a response and post it to Nicenet.
November
1 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss Marcello… and its context with help from Nicenet and our Wiki. Introduce graphic novels. Read Daisy Kutter: Tthe Last Train for Tuesday.
3 Entrance card for Daisy Kutter. Model reading of graphic novel panel(s) with help from document camera. Discuss the graphic novel and the included context. Choose either Persepolis or American Born Chinese and read the work for Tuesday and write a response and post it on Nicenet reading a series of panels from the work.
8 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss your graphic novel and responses in groups and then, by group, read a series of panels for the class with help from the document camera. Discuss relationship between graphic novels and film to prepare for Thursday’s screening. Note: No class during class time. Please attend the film screening to enjoy the introduction and respond to the film in relation to graphic novels and Marcello in the real World.
10 Martian Child Screening—5-7 p.m. For Tuesday, write a response to the film and post it to Nicenet.
15 Reading Response due on Nicenet. Discuss Martian Child and film and young adult literature. Read selections from Am I Blue? For Thursday to begin preparing for subgenre paper and Wiki page.
17 Book tasting to explore anthologies, collections of Young Adult poetry and short fiction, YA nonfiction, and other subgenres of YA Lit. Read handouts/PDFs and choose your subgenre for your second paper and Wiki page for the Tuesday afterThanksgiving. Enjoy your break! (Ballenger Center, Library)
21-25 Thanksgiving Break—no school
29 Entrance card for your chosen subgenre. Discuss paper topic and Wiki possibilities. Read selections (a selection) from your subgenre for Thursday andwrite a response and post it to Nicenet.
December
1 Reading Response due to Nicenet. Discuss chosen subgenre and selection(s) in groups and as a class. Discuss paper and Wiki further. Complete a draft of your final paper and Wiki for Tuesday for peer review and conferences.
6 Paper II and Wiki Draft Due. Revise paper for Thursday. Complete Wiki.
8 Final Draft of Paper II due. Prepare for Final Exam! Share Paper topics and Wikis.
Final Exam: